Coin-sized hail reported from Sunday’s storms near Boise. See storm chaser photos here
The National Weather Service released its preliminary report on hail sizes on Monday after storms that blew through the Treasure Valley on Sunday brought thunder and lightning, hail over an inch in diameter, and a rainbow to cap it all off.
Although the heaviest of storms were to the north and south of Boise, at least 13 instances of hail at least an inch in diameter were reported to the NWS.
The largest hail was reported in Melba, about 23 miles southwest of Boise. The NWS recorded hail approximately 1.25 inches in diameter, about the size of a half dollar coin.
Hail approximately an inch in diameter, about the size of a quarter, was also reported in Melba, Payette, Hagerman, Wendell, Murphy and southeast Boise.
Hail over an inch is typically associated with severe thunderstorms and can fall from the sky as fast as 40 mph, potentially causing damage to roofs and vehicles.
Smaller hail was also reported in Twin Falls (0.8 inches), south-southeast Boise (0.50 inches) and Garden City (0.25 inches).
Several local storm chasers and atmospheric scientists took Sunday’s storm as an opportunity to hit the road and take pictures of some of the hail that fell in the area.
Twitter user @cottoncashcat went storm chasing with NWS Boise meteorologist Korri Anderson and recorded inch-sized hail on Orchard Access Road in southeast Boise, just west of Interstate 84.
Storm chasers Rob and Sandy Lindberg also found hail between an inch to 1.25 inches in size on Simco Road, just east of Orchard Access Road and still west of I-84.
Reports of smaller hail closer to residential neighborhoods in Boise were also documented and tweeted out by residents from their backyards.
The storms also carried strong winds of up to 60 mph, according to previous Idaho Statesman reporting, but eventually cleared out and made room for a vibrant rainbow to appear over Boise.
